Dispensing closure for sterile liquid containers



Sept. 18, 1951 R. w. BARTON I 2,568,1 08 LIQUID CONTAINERS DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR STERILE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1949 JNVENTOR.

M Z w 6 R. W. BARTON Sept. 18, 1951 DISPENSING CLOSURE FOR STERILE LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6

mar/4 INVENTOR.

' BY ruar/o m ukrmv Patented Sept. 18, 1 951 isses en a a ascarosa saw.

I Raymondwr-Barton Evansville;Ind.; assignor to Mead John'son fia Gomp corporation ofilnd-iana any; Evansville,i-Ind.,:a

enn irat isaenuga ess nslye-1 3 3;

coln'dition and which can be put into use for itsji intended purposes in sterile -c' resterilization. I

An important object of the invention is to pro videapparatus of the character described-of such construction and materialjthat it can; be produced economically and disposed of after a sing-le*- use.

nother important object isto provide sterile apparatus which can bemade ready-for use with-' outcontamination of theparts of the apparatus or contents of the containerholding theliduid to be administered intravenously to--a patient.

Another object is to provide "a closure plug for a sterile liquid containeihaving air and fluidpafssa'ges closed by diaphragms which areintegral portions of the plug,--jconstituting; an air-tighfizo closure for the container-until the contentsare to beius'ed, and adapted tdbe'openedto provide an'air i nlet'and a fiuid'outlet-withouteontamination ofthe containercontents- 3 p: cial feature of construction of-my-appa- E. ratus is a portable,- combined j-hollow needle and air' filter unitwhich'servesas a means --for-- puncturing flexible sealing means constitutingpart of-the container closure-and also as a means-- for admitting filtered air into the sterile fiuld -1 container. By using the needle and filter unit torithe purposeof puncturing the flexible sealing---.: means; no unfiltered air is permitted to enter-the coi'itainenas is the case when the puncturing is dohe by theuse of a-sharpinstrumentror ahollow needle not equipped with an airifilter or whe n a separateseal is removedand existing passagewaysin the-closure-plug are openedand air is admitted to the container. The apparatus. I. herein"shown- 'and--described thus-= provides .a closed system oi -administering fluids. :intravenously, bywhich I mean-that no unfilteredair canenter the sterile- :liquid containerwhen :the. apparatus-is used as-intended The combined hollow needle and air-filter ofmy invention is light in a weight andcompactfin. form and therefore is self-supporting.when it .1: has been inserted into' --the oontainen closure :.;;o prdvide an-- air inlet therefor," regardless of whether the container is in upright or -invertedposition. i Althoughthe closure plug and combined hollow needle and air filter unit of my apparatus have been x'nentioned specifically -as possessinggnove advantages, it toa he understoodmhatmhe sewand economically pr intended purposes.

Ingthe drawings: Fig is an elevational view of a sterile liquid k container provided-Ewith apparatus for "intravenous administration of the-container content embodying my iIlVGIlfiOILjlJhG container, being shown in the inverted position designed fordis pensing the contents. r Fig. -2 is an elevationalview of'that part 0f'the' apparatus which is paekaged separately from the'container-and its c1osure5showing said *appa rs when packaged in a boxrlike' ratus as it appea inner holder.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the closureplug of my apparatus, removedfrom the nu containenshowirlgthe plug before it hasIpe'e prepared for dispensing the containercontents:

Figy l is a vertical sectional-view ofthe closure plug-in position in the neck of the container,;wit hf* the dripmeter (partly broken away) and fjmyf} combined hollow needle and air filter unit pen; .tioned in the plug, as they appear when prepared p for dispen'sing the container contents. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged; of f er unit-of; my ap the hollow needle and airfilt paratus.

,1 Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, are perspective views'of;

detached parts constituting a portion of thegclo sure means.

Fig; 10 is a perspective view Fig. 11 is a perspective vie tion of the container in wh seated.

In "the preferred embodiment of the invention shown inthe drawinga'a conventional container for sterile liquid is indicated at 203 Theneck {2] of the container-is closed-bya rubber stopper plug 22 provided with twopassageways; -23 and 24; which do not extend entirely through the-plug 22; -These passageways are closed by thin flexible diaphragms 25;26; respectively which-are in .tegral --with and 7 form part of the outer face-mi s the-plug 22. V a

A metal retainer ring- 2 ;1' '-provided'- with a flange 28 -surrounds the neck of the'co'ntain'er; the=flahg 28over1ying the circumferential portion of plu" 22? A rubberliner-29 rests-=on top 'ofthe plu 22 and==flange 28- of the-ring 21 An aluminum? disks-30' everlies the-liner 29.--Finally="a tear of!" metal: seal 3| "with fla "32 -provides-an oute or the closure plugs w. of e upper p 17 ich the plug is to" be ig nge seal for the entire closure;

.1 The separately -packaged partofethe sterile apparatus for intravenous administration comprises a plastic dripmeter 33 in the form of a sight tube, provided with an adapter or reduced end 34 protected by a flexible cover 35 which contains sterile filter material. The opposite end of the dripmeter is connected to plastic tubing 36 provided with arubber portlon 36' near the end removed from the dripmeter. 33. A compressor 31 is provided for regulating the flow of liquid through the tubing 36. Beyond the rubber portion 36' said tubing is provided with a needle 7 adapter 33 protected by a sterile rubber cap 39.

A separate air filter comprises a hollow needle 40, cup shaped filter holder 4| preferably made of rubber, and a lining cup 42 in the'holder'fl, formed with a cup shaped central portion 43 which is inverted with respect to the cup 42. The cup portion 43 is spaced from a thickened portion 44 of the holder 4| to provide a chamber 45 which communicates with the atmosphere through the opening 46. The needle 40 extends through -said holder 4 I and thickened body portion: 44, its inner end being beveled at 41, the

arrangement being such that apassageway for air is insured through the hollow needle. Filter material 48 is held in the inner lining member 42 of the holder 4| as shownin Figs. 2, 4 and 5. The sterile hollow needle 40 is embedded in a compact roll of sterile filter material 49 to maintain sterility of the hollow needle after removal from the sterile transparent wrapper 49. In addition, this filter material prevents the needle 40.from tearing the wrapper 49. The entire air filter unit is enclosed in the sterile transparent wrapper orenvelope 49. a

In Fig. 2, the separately packaged parts of the apparatusare arranged in an open top box 50 which isbompletely enclosed in an outer receptaclef (not shown) which seals said box 5|] and contents n When the plug 22 is in container closing positionin the neck 2| of thecontainer 26, the air passage 23 closes by diaphragm 25 registers with anfair, tube 5| in the container.

In' assemblingthe sterile liquid container 20 and closure plug 22 and other parts of the closure assembly, a saline solution is applied to the exposed surface of the plug 22. This serves as a. lubricant to facilitate the puncturing of the diaphragms 25,26, and the lubricating property is preserved by the liner disk 29 which overlies the plug 22.

Operation 'io put. the sterile intravenous administration apparatus into use, the tear off seal 3| is removed from the containerclosure, followed by removal of the aluminum disk 36 and :rubber liner 29. This leaves exposed the outer face of the plug,22 and retainer ring 21.

Next the separately packaged parts of the apparatus in their container 56 are taken out of their outer receptacle. The envelope 49 is opened and the air filter unit is removed. The user employs the hollow needle 40 to puncture the diaphragm 26 which seals the passage 24 through which the solution in the container is intended to be dispensed. This puncturing of the diaphr gm 26 by the combined needle and air filter unit prepares the plug. 22 for the reception of the adapter end 34 of the dripmeter 33 without admitting unfiltered air to the container. Removal, of the needle after the puncturing; has been done is followedby immediate seli sealing ofthe diaphragm 26 over the liquid passage 24 4 operator immediately inserts the hollow needle 40 with air filter thereon into the diaphragm 25 and air passage 23 and leaves it in communication with the air tube 5| in the container. Next, the adapter end 34 of the dripmeter is forced through the punctured diaphragm 26 and into the liquid passage 24, as shown in Fig. 4.

. The'compressor'31 is adjusted to control the flow of fluid. The container 20 is then inverted and suspended as shown in Fig. 1, with the drippodermic needle has been attached, the apparatus is ready for the intravenous injection of the container contents.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the apparatus provides a closed system of administration', by which is meant a system in which no unfiltered air is allowed to' enter the container or to otherwise contaminate the fluid to beadministered intraveneously.

Changes-may be made in details of con'str'ucfltion and the form of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by j the following claims. I

I claim: a r

1. In apparatus for the intravenous adminis-- tration of liquids, means for admitting air to a container provided with asealed closure, said means comprising a hollow needle adapted to be passed through the closure, a filter holder including an outer cup shaped'member of flexible material, an inner member-having an inverted cup shaped bottom mounted in the outer mem-.-

ber and providing an air chamber between the 1 bottoms of said members, filter -material inthe inner member, said needle extending through the flexible outer member into said air chamber, the. inner end'of said needle being beveled and spaced from the filter holder, said inner holder member being apertured-between said filter material and air chamber to admit filtered air into said cham:

ber and needle. Y

2. Apparatus forintravenous administration of liquids, comprising a resilient stopper adapted so seal the mouth of a container, said stopper bee. ing provided with a liquid passage and an air passage closed by diaphragms which constitute. parts of the stopper, liquid dispensing means providedwith an adapter extending into the liquid passage through the diaphragm initially closing the passage, a hollow needle extending through the diaghragm initially closing the air passage in the stopper, and an air filter comprising two members spaced apart to provide an air cham v ber between them, the air intake end of the needle; being located in said air chamber of the filter holder.

3. Apparatus for intravenous administration of liquids, comprising a resilient stopper adapted to seal the mouth of a container, said stopper being provided with a liquid passage and an air passage closed by diaphragms which constitute part of the outer face of the stopper,-liquid dis-'- pensing means provided with an adapter extending into the liquid passage through the diaphragm initially closing the passage, a hollow needle extending through the diaphragm initially closing the air passage in the stopper, a- -filterg, holder consisting of two members forming an air. chamber between them, filter material, in the holder, said needle-extending through oneof-the holder; members into said air chambenthe other wzcf said ho der. members being apertured -betweenj :l

5 the filter material and air chamber to admit filtered air into said chamber and needle.

4. Apparatus for intravenous administration of liquids from a sterile liquid container, comprising a sterile package containing liquid dispensing means and air admission means adapted to be mounted on a resilient closure plug for said sterile liquid container, said air admission means comprising a hollow needle, a filter holder mounted directly on the air intake end of the hollow needle, filter material in the holder excluding unfiltered air from the needle, a sterile protector on the opposite end of the needle, and a removable wrapper enclosing the air admission means.

RAYMOND W. BARTON.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,100,610 Paisley et al Nov. 30, 1937 2,108,583 Falk Feb. 15, 1938 2,138,936 Asterberg Dec. 6, 1938 2,231,418 Trotter Feb. 11, 1941 2,341,114 Novak 1 Feb. 8, 1944 2,416,391 Hixson Feb. 25, 1947 

